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[Pittsburgh] City Council to vote on ban on couches, mattresses on porches
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | March 12, 2009 | Rich Lord

Posted on 03/12/2009 3:49:50 AM PDT by grundle

Having a couch, love seat or spare mattress on your porch could be illegal in Pittsburgh if City Council makes final a tentative vote it took yesterday.

All of the council members present voted for legislation banning mattresses, box springs, sofas and upholstered chairs from non-enclosed porches, primarily to prevent the celebratory burning of such items, as has happened repeatedly in Oakland.

After showing council video of couches, ignited in the streets of Oakland after the Steelers Super Bowl win and during a street festival, Councilman Bruce Kraus urged his colleagues not to repeat last week's postponement of his legislation.

"Rome is burning, and we just wasted a week," he said, shortly after showing video of a blazing couch on Semple Street. "One idiot that decides to place an accelerant on the wood of that porch, and that whole row of houses could go up."

Oakland community groups came out in favor of the ordinance.

A couch on a porch "creates a health hazard. It draws pests and rodents and bugs," said Kelly Wawrzeniak, a community organizer with the Oakland Planning and Development Corp.

Mr. Kraus said he doesn't intend to restrict patio furniture that "is generally wrought iron or a vinyl composition" and is meant for outdoor use.

The penalty for keeping upholstered furniture on a non-enclosed porch would be $200 to $500, plus court costs, per day. A final vote could occur next week.

(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: nannystate; pittsburgh; zoning
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1 posted on 03/12/2009 3:49:51 AM PDT by grundle
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To: grundle

They sure are getting the most value for their taxes in Pittsburg.


2 posted on 03/12/2009 3:53:31 AM PDT by RangerM (Gotz-ta git me sum of them internets!)
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To: grundle

I briefly worked in Squirrel Hill teaching the inner city kids. I would see these couches and such in front or on almost every porch along each street there.

That being said, it may be an eyesore for some, but if it’s their property, they should be able to put whatever seating they want in front of their house.

We’re still AMERICA!


3 posted on 03/12/2009 3:55:06 AM PDT by PureSolace (Trust in God)
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To: PureSolace
Hell, when I was a kid, we reengineered one of those spring loaded clothes pins to shoot a farmer match (wooden match to you white necks), so as we rode our bikes .. we'd shoot a match to hit the ground, ignite and bounce into the pile of leaves raked at the curb.

We were stealth bombers then and didn't know it.

Ban clothes pins, farmer matches, bikes, little boys, leaves, the rakes that make the piles, the people that use the rakes ...

I think I'm beginning to understand the psychology of those whack jobs that just say phuque it ... and start shooting.

4 posted on 03/12/2009 4:00:24 AM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
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To: grundle

What if you’ve got a few pillows?


5 posted on 03/12/2009 4:01:15 AM PDT by allmost
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To: PureSolace
I would say arson is attempted murder. Anyone attempting to burn my property on my porch would have a Sig 229 in 40 cal in their face.
6 posted on 03/12/2009 4:01:40 AM PDT by mosaicwolf (Strength and Honor)
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To: grundle
What else is there to do while waiting for your govment check but hang out on the porch and wave to others that are waiting on there govment check too.
7 posted on 03/12/2009 4:09:26 AM PDT by TexasCajun
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*


8 posted on 03/12/2009 4:11:12 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3 (Obama is everything Oklahoma is not.)
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To: PureSolace

“We’re still AMERICA!”

Not as much as we were November 3, 2008 and before!

LLS


9 posted on 03/12/2009 4:13:00 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer (hussein will NEVER be my President... NEVER!!!)
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To: grundle

Message to the Pittsbouqe Polute, I have a mattress and or pillow in just about every room, I have no problem with bugs, first off I do not allow folk that might be infested to come to my domicile, secondly, if there is someone posibly infested, I give them the choice of staying in the shed, or allowing a washing of clothing and self.

I have running water.

No taxpayers dollars, and no embarrasement. And no bugs!


10 posted on 03/12/2009 4:15:23 AM PDT by ChetNavVet (Build It, and they won't come!)
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To: grundle

Why don’t they just ban porches.


11 posted on 03/12/2009 4:23:12 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (Some people are too stupid to be ashamed.)
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To: grundle

One thing that really bugs me is snooty democrats. They have worked overtime turning the US into 3rd world hellholes. Now they decide they are offended by the trappings of folks that live in 3rd world hellholes.

Maybe the sofas on the porch are there because they have no a/c and it is cooler on the porch.

I say people need to stand up and give them the result of their folly.

Drag a couch on the porch, throw a few empty bottles of liquor over the rail and kick back. LOL


12 posted on 03/12/2009 4:24:18 AM PDT by dforest
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To: grundle
Typical Liberal thought process. Idiots running around setting stuff on fire, ban everything flammable. Wouldn't want to blame the PEOPLE doing stupid stuff. They really should ban wood frame houses as well. It's a well known fact that they are just invitations for termite infestations. And let's ban automobiles, because the mere presence of one incites crowds to turn them over and torch them. I'm thinking the council is just preparing for the “celebratory” mood that is going to come when all the Asshats in low rent districts find out the reality of what's coming to them from their beloved Obama.
13 posted on 03/12/2009 4:26:47 AM PDT by bitterohiogunclinger (America held hostage - day 141)
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To: PureSolace

Yeah but I’m sure if it was across the street from your lovely home you’d be the first to say NIMBY!

People are always very quick to be flexible when it isn’t their problem. It’s awful and there’s no reason a couch or sofa should be on a porch. It’s just a place for mice and other rodents to take up residence and cause a nuisance; so from a health perspective, I consider it “garbage” and nobody would allow someone to keep garbage on their porch for weeks and months....


14 posted on 03/12/2009 4:35:27 AM PDT by Paved Paradise
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To: ChetNavVet

And your method for determining that nobody entering your home has a “bug” is?

Regardless, you will have mites no doubt. And mice aren’t going to take up residence in your mattress INSIDE your home unless you are very shabby in caring for your home. Not so for outside mattress/couch/upholstery....


15 posted on 03/12/2009 4:37:11 AM PDT by Paved Paradise
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To: indylindy
One thing that really bugs me is snooty democrats. They have worked overtime turning the US into 3rd world hellholes. Now they decide they are offended by the trappings of folks that live in 3rd world hellholes.

That is so damned true. I find it interesting, though, that all of a sudden there's a concern over "celebratory burning". Perhaps the Philly city council is trying to minimize the problems that are sure to be caused by the coming "Where's my pie?" riots.

16 posted on 03/12/2009 4:50:14 AM PDT by Charles Martel ("Endeavor to persevere...")
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To: grundle

This is just a response to some problems at the Univ. of Pittsburgh. Despite the Panthers efforts to ridicule WVU students following a number of couch burning incidents in Morgantown, they could not fight the temptation to torch a sofa or two.


17 posted on 03/12/2009 4:57:01 AM PDT by mrmargaritaville
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To: grundle
primarily to prevent the celebratory burning of such items, as has happened repeatedly in Oakland.

Why don't they just make it illegal to burn someone else's property?

Maybe they could make up a word for it.

Arson?

18 posted on 03/12/2009 5:01:08 AM PDT by HIDEK6
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To: grundle
aid Kelly Wawrzeniak, a community organizer

Thank goodness for community organizers. /sarc

19 posted on 03/12/2009 5:10:36 AM PDT by proud American in Canada ("We can, and we will prevail.")
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To: mrmargaritaville

Exactly. They caught the Pitt students who did the couch burning but the Dems can’t leave it at that. Like good little Nazi’s they have to have a law, VERBOTEN!


20 posted on 03/12/2009 5:20:47 AM PDT by Varda
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